Support means for a color cathode ray tube shadow mask member having smooth circumferential seating contact

ABSTRACT

Means for supporting an electrode member in a cathode ray tube, in the region adjacent the screen area, are delineated as substantially resilient supporting members having discrete apertures formed therein to receive compatible positioning means protruding from the panel sidewall. The material portion of each supporting member, wherein the aperture is defined, has a funnel shaping imparted thereto to facilitate facile and positive mating of the supporting member with the positioning means.

United States Patent Inventor Joseph Nazzareno DeBernardis Seneca Falls.N.Y.

AppLNo. 817,936

Filed Apr. 21. 1969 Patented Jan. 5 1971 Assignee Sylvanla ElectricProducts Inc.

a corporation of Delaware SUPPORT MEANS FOR A COLOR CATHODE RAY TUBESHADOW MASK MEMBER HAVING SMOOTH CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEATING CONTACT 5Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 313/85, 313/292 Int. Cl ..H0lj 29/46, l-lOlj 1/88 Field of Search313/64, 858, 92511, 292

[ill 3,553,517

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,308,327 3/1967 Shrader313/64 Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner\ LafranchiAttorneys-Norman J. OMalley, Donald R. Castle and Frederick H. RinnABSTRACT: Means for supporting an electrode member in a cathode raytube, in the region adjacent the screen area, are delineated assubstantially resilient supporting members having discrete aperturesformed therein to receive compatible positioning means protruding fromthe panel sidewall. The material portion of each supporting member.wherein the aperture is defined, has a funnel shaping imparted theretoto facilitate facile and positive mating of the supporting member withthe positioning means. i

SUPPORT MEANS FOR A COLOR CATHODE RAY TUBE SHADOW MASK MEMBER HAVINGSMOOTH CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEATING CONTACT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONporting means usually comprise a plurality of spaced apart metallicresilient members having base portions affixed to the periphery of themask with free leaflike portions extending from the respective membersin orientation with a like number of positioning means protrudinginwardly from the sidewall of the face panel portion. Since the mask isremoved from the panel several times during the usual proceduresutilized in the forming of the several color screen patterns, it isimportant that the mask be accurately repositioned within the panelafter each removalhTo facilitate precise mask repositioning, each of theseveral resilient mask supporting members incorporates an aperture inthe leaflike portion, adjacent the free end thereof, fashioned toreceive a corresponding positioning projection such as a tapered studaffixed in the panel sidewall. By one conventional practice, theapertures are formed to be substantially square with the flat leaflikeportion, thereby producing an opening having a sharply defined leadingedge which seats on the tapered stud. Another type of aperture has thematerial of the aperture facing, intermediate the leading and I trailingedges of the leaf, shaped in an angular manner to effect seating of theaperture facing on the surface of the tapered-stud. Both of theaforedescribed apertures have sharply defined leading edges which, uponrepeated insertion,

are apt to score the surface of the stud thereby causing hangup of thesupporting member which introduces minute but deleterious errors in maskpositioning. Additionally, the sharp leading edge of the-aperturecomplicates insertion of the mask supporting member onto the panels'tud.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION It is an object of the invention toreduce the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a color cathoderay tube wherein the mask support means has improved contactrelationship with the mask positioning means integral with the facepanel of the tube. Another object is to provide facile positioning ofthe mask in the panel.

The foregoing objects are achieved in one aspect of the invention byutilizing mask support means in the form of a plurality of resilientmask support members each having an aperture discretely formed thereinto receive the positioning studs protruding from the panel sidewall. Thematerial defining each of the respective apertures is partially rolledin a coined manner in a direction away from the positioning studs toimpart a funnel shaping to the peripheral definition of the aperture. Bysuch shaping, the terminal lip defining the aperture is rounded orrolled as a continuationof the funnel effect to provide smoothcircumferential seating contact with the positioning stud means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGS. 1 and 2 are sectional viewsshowing prior art contact relationship between the mask support meansand the mask positioning means;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the contactrelationship embodied in the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the aperture portion of the resilient membertaken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showingthe relationship between the resilient support member and the panelstud.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For a better understanding ofthe present invention, together with other and further objects,advantages and capabilities thereof, reference is made to the followingspecification and appended claims in connection with the aforedescribeddrawings.

With reference to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show partial views of acolor cathode ray tube 11 wherein a shadow mask 13, comprised offoraminous portion 15 and a supporting frame 17, is oriented in spacedadjacency to the cathodoluminescent screen 19 disposed on the interiorsurface of the viewing area 20 of the face panel 21. Mask posi tioningmeans, such as for example a plurality of positioning studs 23, of whichonly one is shown, are affixed to the panel sidewall 25 in a manner toprotrude inwardly therefrom into the tube cavity.

Prior art mask supporting means are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein masksupporting members 27 and 27' are related to the mask positioning studs23. Each of the supporting mem bers 27 and 27' has a respective baseportion 29, 29' which is affixed or bonded to the periphery of the maskframe, Extending integrally from the respective base portions aresubstantially resilient free leaflike portions 31, 31', each of whichhas a discretely formed aperture 33, 33', fashioned therein adjacent thefree end thereof to receive a corresponding positioning stud. v

The aperture 33, being formed in a manner substantially square with theleaf portion, has a sharply defined leading edge 35 which seats on thetaper of the stud 23. Repetitive seating of this acute contact edge hasoften caused aggravating scoring of the stud and resultant hangup of thesupport members 27 thereon which changes positioning of the mask inrelation to the screen. The aperture 30' has the material of theaperture facing, which substantially represents the material thicknessintermediate the leading edge 35' and the trailing edge 37, angled toprovide seating of the aperture facing 39 on the tapered stud. As withthe previous prior art example, the surface of the stud is vulnerable toscoring by the sharply defined leading edge 35.

Applicant has found that the aforementioned disadvantages of the priorart are overcome by his invention. With particular reference to FIGS. 3,4 and 5 there is shown an improved resilient support member 41 having abase element 43 and an integrally extending leaflike element 45. Theimproved aper ture 47 discretely formed therein is fashioned to providea smooth circumferential seating contact on the surface of theprotruding stud. This is accomplished by partially rolling the materialcontiguous to each aperture in a substantially coined manner in adirection away from the stud positioning means. Such coining imparts asubstantially funnel shaping to the peripheral definition of theaperture wherein the leading edge 49 is rolled as a continuation of thefunnel effect to produce a terminal defining lip 51 which provides asmooth rounded seating contact free of a sharp seating edge. Theaperture facing 53 is oriented in a manner to avoid contact with thesurface of the stud.

While the improved aperture can be formed to have a substantiallycontinuous circumferentially rolled terminal defining lip, it may alsobe fashioned to provide a plurality of spaced apart lands 55 which aresubstantially rolled or coined to effect a funnel shaping thereto, suchare shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The aperture is configurated to have aplurality of radially oriented and spaced apart cutouts 57, whichprovide therebetween, at least three seating lands 55. The leading edgesof the several lands are each coined or rolled to collec tively providethe funnel shaping for the aperture. The terminal rolled lip portions ofthe plural lands provide smooth seating contact for the positioningstud.

Thus, there is provided an improved mask support means that has animproved contact relationship with the mask positioning means integralwith the envelope portion of the tube. This improved relationship notonly facilitates positioning of the mask in the panel but also providesfor repetitive accurate seating of the mask support member on thepositioning stud.

While the support means for positioning a shadow mask members which maybe oriented on protruding positioning means within an envelopestructure.

While there have been shown and described what are at present consideredthe preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that various changesand modifications may be madetherein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined bythe. appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a cathode ray tube having a framedelectrode member orientedadjacent the cathodoluminescent screen, support means integrallyassociated with the frame of the electrode member and formed tocooperate with related positioning means protruding from the wall of thetube envelope, said support means comprising a plurality of resilientmembers attached to said electrode frame in a manner spacedly related toI said protruding positioning means, each of said resilient memthereofto receive the insertion of said protruding means and providecircumferential seating contact thereon, the member material contiguousto each of said apertures in a direction away from said positioningmeans to substantially impart a funnel shape to the peripheraldefinition of each aperture to facilitate facile and positive mating ofthe aperture portion of said resilient member withsaidprotrudingpositioning means.

2. The support means according to claim 1 wherein each of said apertureshas a terminal defining lip in the form of a rounded continuation effectof said funnel shape to provide said smooth circumferential seatingcontact with said related positioning means.

3.' The support means according to claim 2 wherein said-- aperture has aplurality of spaced apart lands which are substantially of funnel shape.

4. The support means according to claim 3 wherein said formed funnelshape lands are at least three innumber.

5. The support means according to claim 3 wherein substantially theterminal rounded lip portion of each of said lands makes seating contactwith said protruding positioning means.

553 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent'No.3,553,517 Dated January 5, 1971 Inventor) Joseph Nazzareno DeBernar-d Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaidLetters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 34, "30' should read "33 Column 4, Claim 1, line 3 after"apertures" insert the following: having a smooth rounded circumferent:

seating contact oriented Signed and sealed this 30th day of March 1971(SEAL) Attest':

EDWARDMJLETGHERJR. WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, JR Attesting OfficerCommissioner .of Patents

1. In a cathode ray tube having a framed electrode member orientedadjacent the cathodoluminescent screen, support means integrallyassociated with the frame of the electrode member and formed tocooperate with related positioning means protruding from the wall of thetube envelope, said support means comprising a plurality of resilientmembers attached to said electrode frame in a manner spacedly related tosaid protruding positioning means, each of said resilient members havingan aperture discretely formed in the material thereof to receive theinsertion of said protruding means and provide circumferential seatingcontact thereon, the member material contiguous to each of saidapertures in a direction away from said positioning means tosubstantially impart a funnel shape to the peripheral definition of eachaperture to facilitate facile and positive mating of the apertureportion of said resilient member with said protruding positioning means.2. The support means according to claim 1 wherein each of said apertureshas a terminal defining lip in the form of a rounded continuation effectof said funnel shape to provide said smooth circumferential seatingcontact with said related positioning means.
 3. The support meansaccording to claim 2 wherein said aperture has a plurality of spacedapart lands which are substantially of funnel shape.
 4. The supportmeans according to claim 3 wherein said formed funnel shape lands are atleast three in number.
 5. The support means according to claim 3 whereinsubstantially the terminal rounded lip portion of each of said landsmakes seating contact with said protruding positioning means.